Bricks and Clicks: Small Business Recovery Program
Bricks and Clicks for Small Business Recovery is a three-part, partnership-driven small business assistance program. It offers training, customized technical assistance, and the opportunity to receive a grant. Through Bricks & Clicks, technical experts will be matched with businesses for one-on-one consultations to help them identify solutions to their challenges. Additionally, grants up to $5,000 will be awarded for digital or bricks-and-mortar improvements designed to help customers feel safe and comfortable when patronizing businesses in-person, and more confident in their online purchases.
Applicants will be asked to discuss “problem statements” or challenges they are now facing in their recovery from the pandemic. The review team will use these statements to match selected applicants with various technical experts (business advisors, interior designers or architects, website developers, marketing experts, etc). These experts will take a deep dive with you into your business and offer customized recommendations and ideas to help your business solve challenges and support your long-term sustainability. When possible, we may match you with multiple experts to get you the support you need.
Most applicants already have an idea of the type of projects for which they would like to request grant funding. Your technical assistance expert can help you fine-tune a strategy for meeting your goals or for ways you can approach completing your project or solving a problem. Past Bricks & Clicks participants have said the deep-dive, personalized technical assistance was an incredibly helpful step in the program and would have had value on its own even if they didn’t get a grant. Grant funds will be reserved for most applicants selected for technical assistance (awards will depend on the proposed project and cost).
What if you already know what your business needs and already did research or consulted with someone? Tell us this in the application so you can bypass the technical assistance step and get permission to submit a grant proposal form. Filling out your application is important – you can get help with another challenge or problem if you’d like technical assistance in another area.
Who can apply?
Small businesses that have been impacted by COVID-19, have been in business for at least 1 year, and are located within the boundaries of downtown Harrisonburg are encouraged to apply. Contact hdr@harrisonburgva.gov if you’re not sure your business falls within these boundaries. Business owners should outline 1-3 problem statements, which could include, but are not limited to:
How to apply?
The Bricks and Clicks application will be made available on Monday, May 18th. All applications must be submitted by Tuesday, May 26th. Selected applicants will be notified by email by May 29th.
You will be asked to connect relevant findings of the customer feedback survey with how local consumer attitudes, preferences, and concerns might impact your business and how your problem statement and/or potential proposed project might address that data.
For full details and application visit https://downtownharrisonburg.org/bricksandclicks/
